The Heights

The Heights is one of the oldest neighborhoods in Houston founded originally as a “utopian community” in the late 1890s. Named from the fact that its elevation is just 23 feet higher than Downtown Houston, it’s a great place to be during one of Houston’s inevitable floods–as well as year round.

The Heights life is a good one. It’s an extremely walkable neighborhood inside the loop just minutes from Downtown, with amazing restaurants, spacious parks with amazing trees, and adorable Victorian houses and well-kept Bungalows. The Heights has an amazing food and bar scene–despite being a dry county–and is home to some of our most favorite murals.

Although the “Greater Heights” area includes areas off Washington, Northside and even Oak Forest, this guide is mainly talking about the specific Heights area, which we’re defining as north of I-10, south of 610, west of Studemont and east of Shepherd.

What you need to know

PSA: Loads of people will say they live in “The Heights” but they actually live in “The Greater Heights”. Not technically a lie, but know you’re more legit than they are if you’re in the main Heights area around Heights Boulevard and live off a numbered street.

The Heights is primarily pretty residential with a few key pockets of businesses on White Oak (6th Street), 11th Street or 19th Street. White Oak is full of bars and restaurants and know for its legendary post-White Linen Nights street party. 11th Street is pretty residential but has a big cluster of restaurants and coffee shops around Studemont. 19th Street is packed with antique shops and great photo ops–don’t miss the giant American flag inside Man Ready Mercantile or the You are My Sunshine Mural.

Heights is street party central, and you absolutely CANNOT miss December’s Lights in the Heights or August’s White Linen Nights. Grab your buds and your beers and street party. Occasionally during the fall they block of the streets for 5Ks and fun wellness events too and other “shop local” block parties.

Adding to the neighborhood’s eccentricity is the fact many parts of the Heights are “dry,” meaning you can’t buy alcohol from places unless you’re a member of the bar’s drinking club. It’s free to join, and takes just a sec. No harm no foul.